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Gaming journal: L.A Noire #1 - I love parts of you, just not all of you

Written by Random J •
L.A Noire | Gaming journal

I love me a slow paced detective style game. Shove all of your car chases, slow mo double gun wielding dives and your bullet time explosions. Just let me loose in a place with a trusty note book and let me faff around, picking shit up and observing it in my hand for 10 minutes. Needless to say I was in my element in Shenmue and Hotel Dusk. These games were like heaven for me! But games like these are an acquired taste. They come along once in a blue moon. And they tend to sell so damn badly that they rarely get sequels. I doubt Hotel Dusk will get a third installment. And well...we all know the deal with Shenmue 3. That shit got sent through an Omega 4 relay with no IFF the day Yu Suzuki slapped down his resignation. So to hear Rockstar would be going the detective route with their next big game, I was sold! Even as I write this, I've not read a single review of L.A Noire and have watched nothing of the game other than the official trailer. The official trailer of which was all I needed to be coaxed into buy this game. But despite being in love with the idea and the premise of L.A Noire, I'm not entirely sure whether I love the entire experience of playing it.

It's difficult to not see the comparisons between L.A Noire and Grand theft auto. They are generally different games, but the similarities in regards to certain gameplay elements are glaring. More so for somebody like me who finds that everything I couldn't stand about Grand theft auto is what is making me not enjoy chunks of this game. So much so to the point that it's overshadowing what the game is doing right and what I really like about it.

So how about I talk about the aspects of L.A Noire love; before my journal entry of my first play session of this game is bogged down into complete and utter negativity.

I love the voice acting. I love the production values. I love the music. I love the characters. I love wandering around looking for clues and evidence. I love the interrogations. But I'm not loving everything which happens in between. I hate the driving. I hate the camera. I hate the shooting crap. I can't stand the street crime missions which so far have all followed the same pattern of: run after somebody, chase them to a rooftop and then either...
  1. Punch them to death
  2. Shoot them before they shoot a hostage, who just happens to magically appear on this rooftop you chased the offender to the top of.
I'm persisting with this game because I want to give it a chance, I adore film noir and feel Rockstar and Team Bondi have done an amazing job of recapturing that era and feel. I'm sure L.A Noire will compel me more as I delve further and deeper into it. And frankly I went on a f**king mission just to get this gane - so I damn well had better play it through to the end and like it! But I'm just not enjoying this game right now as much as I feel I should be. I currently feel as though I'm playing it for the sake of just playing it, as opposed to playing the game because I'm enjoying it. And this is a horrible feeling to have when you're playing through a game.

To finish my gaming journal entry on less of a sour note. I will say that the facial animation and lip syncing in L.A Noire is some of the best I've seen in a video game...PERIOD! And I truly do adore all of the slow poking around moments. I spent 15 minutes today just fiddling around with some dead guy's body and going all up through his pockets and shit.

Monday's at work are bloody awful and leave me in a state of mild depression, a lack of distinct hope and utter misery. So hopefully this will help set the tone for my second session with L.A Noire and have me get into the game a little more.
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Comments

  1. Digital Gigolo24 May 2011 at 22:03

    Hey J, enjoyed reading your initial thoughts on L.A. Noire.

    I've yet to complete the game myself, but I agree with many of the points you raise, especially the tedious driving sections (tip: hold down 'y' outside the car and your partner will drive, warping you to your destination. Save a hell of a lot of time.)

    For my money, this is Rockstar's best game.

    ReplyDelete

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